


Modern Day Lady Godiva

by Breathesgirl



Category: True Blood
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-15
Updated: 2016-02-15
Packaged: 2018-05-20 15:05:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6013231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Breathesgirl/pseuds/Breathesgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eric and Sookie parted on good terms after season 7. She got to live her dream, this is what happens after.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Modern Day Lady Godiva

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally written for Tease the Muse contest by Southern Vampire Mysteries/True Blood Fic Exchange on WordPress. Unfortunately, they had to cancel due to low interest.
> 
> So, you get my story now instead of in a couple of weeks.
> 
> The prompt for this story was: What if Eric cooled his heels for decades, waiting for Sookie, then offered her the gift of immortality.
> 
> I do not own the Southern Vampire Mysteries nor do I own True Blood. I am truly grateful that I don't own either Sookie or Bill although...if Eric were to walk into my bedroom... ')

Sookie was standing in front of her full-length mirror, examining her body for any signs of aging. She thought she looked damn fine for someone who was turning 48. True, some parts were starting to sag, her hair was just starting to gray and she didn’t have as much energy as she used to but, judging by people’s thoughts she didn’t look her age. In fact, if the townsfolk were to be believed she didn’t look a day over 35.

There were times, especially when Adele Marie and James Robert were toddlers that she wished she had taken Eric up on his offer to turn her when she was still in her prime. But then she’d rethink that because if she had taken the offer she wouldn’t have had her children.

Adele was already 18 and she knew it all, or thought she did. She had been a real handful; more stubborn than her mother and she had the temper to go along with the attitude that was her inheritance from her father.

James though was almost 18 and was a gentle soul. He took after his Uncle Jason in some respects. He was a real lady’s man, loved hunting and fishing and doing pretty much anything which took him outdoors.

Sookie sighed as she examined her face under the harsh lights of the bathroom mirror. Were those crows feet starting around her eyes?  
She sighed again and took her shower. She’d had an invitation to dinner at an exclusive restaurant in Shreveport and she was going to go and have fun! It was rare that she got to celebrate her birthday on the actual day, so even if the date itself was a flop she planned on enjoying herself.

E/S E/S E/S E/S

_Ms. Stackhouse:_

_You are cordially invited to dinner and drinks at The Lady Godiva Wednesday, May 24, 2028, at 10:00 pm._

The Hostess looked at the invitation and then at the woman standing before her and back to the invitation.

Sookie heard a low growl from behind her, followed by a voice she had never forgotten, “You would deny the modern day Lady Godiva? The lady who was the inspiration for this restaurant and the reason you have a job?”

The Hostess looked slightly chastened, but her thoughts gave her away. _Snort._ She’s _the inspiration? Don’t look like much to me._

Sookie smiled tightly, “Mother Theresa didn’t look like much either but she had more style and class than you and me combined.”

The hostess’s mouth had fallen open in surprise, “What?” asked Sookie. “I was invited, as that invitation plainly states. Now, would you please show me to my table or do I need to speak to your manager?”

The hostess’s shoulders slumped at the dressing down. She plastered on her fakest smile and led Sookie, followed by Eric, to a table.

Sookie cleared her throat, “Does this look like the table my companion reserved?” She laughed as she listened in to the thoughts of the woman in front of her, “Theresa. Huh. You look more like a Bonnie to me. Honey, if he hasn’t bedded you after five years, it’s not going to happen.”

Eric placed his hand on Sookie’s shoulder and squeezed lightly, “I am sorry about this Sookie. Theresa, or Bonnie if you prefer, lead us to the table I chose for this evening. You will then return to your station and do your job until your relief arrives. You will then collect your things and leave.”

Bonnie hung her head and shuffled her way to their corner table, leaving before they were even seated, “Eric, how did she ever manage to keep her job for five years if she acts like this?”

Eric shrugged, “I’ve never had any complaints about her and whenever I conducted business dinners she was always attentive and did her job well.”

Sookie laughed bitterly, “I guess some things never change, do they.”

“Everything changes eventually, Sookie.”

She raised an eyebrow at his words, “Everything?” she asked incredulously.

Eric sighed, “Sookie. You now how old I am; do you think I was like this when I was human or when I was first turned?”

Sookie looked over the menu as a way to stall while she thought about what Eric had said. When she finally looked back up their waiter was approaching, “Good evening Mr. Northman, Ma’am. I am Ian and I’ll be your server for the evening. Can I start you off with a drink or an appetizer?”

Eric shook his head and looked to Sookie for her answer, “Yes. I’ll take iced tea, please.”

Ian smiled and gave a small bow, “As you wish Ma’am. It will be just a moment.”

“Eric,” she said once their server was gone, “I know things change,” she sighed. “I’m sorry Eric. I didn’t want this evening to be like this. I didn’t know for sure that it was you who sent the invitation.

Can we start over again?” and she gave him a smile that touched her eyes.

He smiled back at her, “Of course we can start over. That’s why I invited you here, so perhaps we could start over.”

Sookie blushed slightly; Eric had been the last thing she thought about as she fell asleep at night and usually the first thing she thought about when she got up in the morning. “Thank you, Eric, truly I am sorry. Sometimes the thoughts get to me, you know.”

Eric placed his hand gently over hers, “I know Sookie. I remember how you tried to avoid crowds for that very reason. How have you been?”

“I’ve had my ups and downs, but life has been good to me, but you already knew that, didn’t you? I know you’ve had guards on me since that night.”

Eric looked surprised that she knew about the guards, “How did you know about the guards Sookie?”

She laughed, “I’m a telepath Eric, and my range has increased as has my ability to read Weres and shifters.”

“Really? How far out can you hear now?”

She turned her hand over and ran her fingers along his palm, “I can read to the edge of my property now.”

He nodded his head, “Impressive. Is being in public still difficult?”

She shrugged, “Depends. If I’m tired or have been in a crowd for too long, it’s hard but, for the most part, I just let the thoughts filter through me. I don’t fight it anymore which makes it easier to be around people,” she said once the server had delivered her drink and faded into the shadows again.

“What about you, though? Last I heard you owned Nu Blood. Those first commercials were awful! Pam looked like a badly made up mannequin and you sounded like a used car salesman.”

He laughed, the first real laugh he’d had since they had parted ways, “You’re not the first to tell me that. Those initial commercials were all Pam’s idea. Soon after the first ones aired, we hired a publicist and PR team which helped considerably.”

Sookie nodded as she listened, “It showed. The next set of commercials were much better. You sounded like,” she stopped to think about how to phrase what she wanted to say, “well, you sounded like yourself instead of someone who was reading a badly written script.”

Eric grinned, “You mean like that awful television show, True Blood?”

She laughed, “Yeah, just like that. Wasn’t that Bill Compton character awful?”

“He was! And their Sookie’s character!” He shook his head, “most weeks she acted like she didn’t know her own name so how could she figure out who she loved?”

Sookie was still laughing, “I know! She was blonde AND dumb! Who would be crazy enough, or stupid enough, to believe that shit Compton was feeding her?”

Eric shrugged, “I don’t know.

“You know that show was based on our life stories, yes?”

She sighed, “I know. I just want to know who put the bug in the author’s and screenwriters ears that she should end up with someone who was not worthy of her?”

Eric grinned, “I’ll give you three guesses and the first two don’t count.”

Sookie gasped, “Are you serious?” Her voice got just a little louder than she intended. “Bill Compton? Douche at large? He’s the one who told them how it went?”

Eric nodded, “He did. He was quite upset when you turned him down flat when he asked you to marry him so he concocted the whole thing just so he’d get the girl.”

“The books didn’t quite work out the way he wanted, though.”

“They ended well enough, for him, I suppose since that Eric ended up being sold into slavery and didn’t get the girl.”

“He ended up with enough of the girl, though; he had her heart even if he didn’t have her in his life anymore.”

Eric smiled. He had missed this, discussing common interests, “And she did eventually have the 2.5 kids, the husband, and the white picket fence. Isn’t that every little girl’s dream?”

“Not every little girl Eric. Some of us dream of being Fairy Princesses.”

He twined their fingers together, “You had it all though my love. You’ve had my heart from the beginning. You have the 2.5 kids, the white picket fence and you had the husband along with being a Fairy Princess.”

She sighed, “Thank you for that Eric. Thank you for loving me enough to let me live my dream even though it wasn’t what you wanted.”

He shook his head, “Loving you was the easy part. It was letting you go that nearly tore me apart.”

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, “I know Eric. I am sorry you were hurting.”

He brushed the trickling tears from her cheeks, “Sookie, all I ever wanted from the moment we met was for you to be happy. If not being a part of your life was the price I had to pay for that to happen then I was more than happy to pay.

“Do you remember the question I asked you 20 years ago tonight?”

“I’ve thought of little else for three months Eric. Adele turned 18 three months ago and James will be 18 in 8 months. It’s time Eric. I’m ready.”

Eric smiled his brightest smile, “Are you sure Sookie? There will be no turning back.”

“Positive Eric. I’ve talked about it with those who are most important to me and they all agree that it’s time I did something for myself. I’ve sacrificed everything for 20 years, it’s time I did something for me and that something is you, Eric. I’ve never stopped loving you. You’ve had my heart even though John had my body for a short time.”

Sookie got her birthday wish: she rose three nights later with absolutely nothing extra going on other than the strengths and weaknesses every vampire possesses. Over time she did gain vampire gifts but she was able to spend 200 years as just an ordinary plain Jane for which she was very grateful.


End file.
